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Using Thin Client Technology To Offset Costs
10/24/2007
Reduced support costs - Once set up and configured, the maintenance costs associated with thin clients is practically zero. With no moving parts they are extremely durable, a major asset in a campus environment. They also have greatly reduced energy requirements, reduced heat dissipation, and since all the devices can be managed from a moderately sized central server, reduced support personnel visits.
Reduced acquisition costs - Since only the operating system and some other basic functions actually reside and are performed on the device, multiple applications can be virtualized using just a few servers on the back end.
Longer lifecycle - Since the demand on the devices themselves is reduced, they don't become obsolete as quickly as standard PCs. When looking at the usefulness of a thin client, you should double the typical lifecycle given to a desktop computer.
Fewer security incidents - With the incorporation of the "write protect", along with the limited capability of the device and the ability to simply "push the button" to restore the device to pristine condition, the security advantages are apparent. Additional advantages can be leveraged in areas where local data can be a security risk, such as when HIPPA guidelines need to be enforced. No need to be concerned about patient data on the device when none of it ever resides there besides in volatile RAM.
Things to consider for your thin client initiative...
When considering the incorporation of thin clients into your environment, there can be a greater up-front cost if there is a desire to fully take advantage of their usefulness by creating the backend infrastructure. This means creating a Citrix farm or assembling a VCL solution for more powerful application needs. This cost is easily offset by maximizing concurrent connectivity of such an environment as well as the additional usefulness of such an environment with anytime, anywhere accessibility.
Thin clients should be adopted as a part of the overall workstation lifecycle management program across any campus. This implementation can be done in stages starting with standalone and kiosk installations, especially in public access areas. This allows device integration and familiarization without an initial backend application delivery method. Once a remote application delivery mechanism is in place such as either Citrix or VCL as detailed earlier, the implementation can be continued by deployment in areas that require more intensive computing solutions. In addition to this, thin clients configured as laptops and tablets can be used as checkout computers that don't need support personnel to reconfigure them after each use. The advantage of thin clients configured in this way is the extended battery life they provide without the need for supporting the normally power hungry hard drive, allowing greater freedom and mobility.
Institutions continue to see the need to balance leading-edge technology and information availability with the increasing costs that these require while attempting to keep education affordable for today's students. Incorporating thin client technology into the campus network infrastructure can help to increase the available technology without increasing costs.
This article is based on and excerpted from the authors' Campus Technology 2007 conference proceedings, "Using Thin Client Technology to Offset Costs in a Demanding University Environment."
Bob Bair is Computing Consultant/Citrix Admin, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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